In the past and currently, equipment has been used and is being used to protect work persons who are working on the roofs of buildings. Today most equipment serving this purpose, when being used, is said to constitute a fall restraint and/or fall arrest system.
In respect to such equipment set forth in U.S. patents, the following comments are made:
In 1991, William D. Glynn disclosed in his U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,576, his "roof lifeline safety system and anchor assembly therefor". He said:
The system employs a lifeline which is receivable in a casing and is extendable and retractable so as to provide a variable length from an anchoring position as the requirements of a given job may dictate. The lifeline may be a self-contained centrifugal locking/rewinding system which employs a stainless steel cable. The lifeline is mounted in an upright bracket assembly for disposition generally above at the peak of the roof The lifeline housing is secured to the bracket assembly. PA0 A frame receives the lifeline housing so that the line outlet from the housing is oriented upwardly from the roof peak. Shoulders extend from the frame and are oriented for surface-to-surface engagement on opposing sides of the pitched roof. Anchors are inserted through openings of the shoulders and are secured to the roof for anchoring the bracket assembly and hence the lifeline to the roof. A spring is mounted proximate the output portion of the housing surrounding the proximal portions of the extendable lifeline so as to ensure that the lifeline is spaced above the roof. A loop or carabiner at the end of the lifeline attaches to a safety belt worn by the worker. PA0 An anchor bolt for securing the bracket assembly to the roof comprises a generally J-shaped member comprising an elongated shank having a threaded surface and a hook which engages the underside of a roof rafter. A plate defining an opening is mounted to the shank by inserting the shank through the opening. A nut is threadably engageable with the threaded surface of the shank for longitudinal displacement therealong upon application of a torque to the nut. The underside of the nut is engageable against the top of the plate. The nut comprises a pair of arms extending generally transversely thereto for torquing the nut. The upper portion of the anchor terminates in a eye. Various cable and lifelines may be connected through the eye. PA0 The anchor is dimensioned so that it may be mounted in place by inserting the distill hook portion of the anchor so as to engage the underside of the roof rafter. The plate engages the exterior roof and the nut is tightened against the plate to thereby securely anchor the anchor bolt to the roof." PA0 "for use with a clip connected to a safety line for roof workers, the clip including a hook portion having a leading point with a flattened transverse section, said section having a minimum dimension and having a maximum dimension transverse to the general plane of the hook portion: PA0 an attachment member for roof peaks to which the safety line can be clipped, comprising a strip of metal bent to define an upstanding central portion consisting of two panels of the metal integral through a 180.degree. bend at the top, each panel being integral at its bottom with an outwardly extending leg portion having means to allow attachment to structural roof members, the metal being such as to allow deformation without rupture, the central portion having an aperture for the insertion of the hook portion of said clip, the aperture being elongated in the direction parallel with the said 180.degree. bend, and having a length greater than said maximum dimension and a width between said maximum and minimum dimensions, whereby the clip once inserted in the aperture cannot be rotated beyond a limited arc." PA0 "at least one self-braking mechanism and cable assembly attached thereto. Disposed at the free end of the cable is a fastening device which may be secured to one of a plurality of heavy rings secured to a belt. The plurality of rings provided on the belt enables the worker to attach the cable of the self-braking mechanism to either side of his body, thereby allowing the worker to perform his task on the roof without being chafed by the cable. A pair of stabilizing struts, each having a rectangular foot at the distal ends thereof which are rotatable about a pair of orthogonal axes enables the device to conform to substantially any roof-top configuration." PA0 "workers from falling off of a peaked roof includes a boom pivotally connected to a rotatable stanchion. The rotatable stanchion is supported on the roof by a saddle which is adjustable to permit it to be mounted on various peaked roofs having different slopes. A tether is connected at one end for slidable movement along the boom and is connectable at the other end to the back of a worker's safety belt or harness in order to arrest movement or catch the worker in the event of a slip or fall. The rotatable stanchion and slidable tether give the worker a high degree of mobility on the roof and without interference with work or materials on the roof. A brake operable by tension in the tether arrests rapid sliding of the tether along the boom and a pair of shock absorber devices are provided to assist the brake in reducing any jolt if a falling worker is caught by the safety device."
In 1981, Messrs. John H. Glynn and Patrick J. Glynn illustrated and described in their U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,713, their "roof attachment member for safety lines". They designed an attachment member for roof peaks
In 1990, Brian J. Flaherty disclosed in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,943, his "roofing safety device" for use with substantially all roof configurations. A high large upright support is secured to a roof of a building. It has
In 1986, Julian T. Hillberg, illustrated and described in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,724, "a safety apparatus for roofers" to prevent
Other like purpose equipment which is disclosed in U.S. Patents is indicated by the following references to title of these patents:
In 1991, Messrs Crocker and Hewett Jr. in their U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,949, disclosed their "motion-stopping safety system for workers" in respect to roofs having structural members that are gripped by a C-shaped anchor;
In 1987, Rene Benedet, in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,245, illustrated and described his "safety device for working at great heights" on pitched roofs;
In 1991, Peter J. Natwick, in his U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,705, illustrated and described his "roof creeper kit apparatus" for use on shingle or shake roofs;
In 1966, Thomas J. Jackson, in his U.S. Pat. No. 3,237,717 disclosed his "safety rigging for roofers", working on pitched roofs;
In 1992, Dwight R. Lebow, in his U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,907, disclosed his "fall restraint cable support and method", used during the construction of steel framed buildings;
In 1977, Gerald T. Whitmer, in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,824, illustrated and described his "safety post" also used during the construction of steel framed buildings; and
In 1975, Ralph H. Brueske, in his U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,405, a "portable personnel guard rail" used in conjunction with the metal roofing of a building.
Although these previous inventors and other inventors have provided worthwhile equipment designed to prevent injury to a work person, if he or she stumbles and falls on a roof and/or off a roof, there remains a need for another fall restraint and fall arrest system centering on a different roof mounted anchor used singly or with another, or with others.